LVA Jaguar Journal
December 2021 Edition
Upcoming Dates to remember
Kindergarten Information Session (Virtual): December 9 at 6:30PM
Winter Break: December 23 to January 2
Classes resume: January 3
Kindergarten Information Session (Virtual) : January 10 at 6:30PM
End of Quarter 2: January 14
School Closed: January 17
Grades 1-6 Information Session (Virtual) : January 19 at 6:30PM
Grades 7-11 Information Session (Virtual) : January 20 at 6:30PM
Grades 1-6 Information Session (On Campus) : January 26 at 6:30PM
Fall 2022 Admissions Information
Information Sessions will be offered both Virtually and On Campus for admissions for the 2022-2023 school year. Session attendance is optional, but highly encouraged.
- Virtual sessions will begin promptly at 6:30PM. Links will be emailed to participants and posted to the LVA website the day of the session.
- On Campus sessions will take place at 6:30PM. Campus locations will be announced in advance.
- If you are enrolling siblings of LVA students, you are not required to attend the information sessions, but are welcome to attend if you are looking for additional program specific information.
For Siblings & New Students - You can complete your Online Lottery Registration Today!
If you are planning to enroll siblings of LVA students, please click the attached link below for access to LVA's new online lottery registration system. When you click the link, please be aware that you will be asked to create an account. Siblings of current LVA students receive preference in the lottery so be sure to register each sibling you would like to enroll!
https://enrollment.powerschool.com/family/gosnap.aspx?action=200000441&culture=en
Dates, times, etc:
Kindergarten Information Session
December 9 at 6:30PM (Virtual)
January 10 at 6:30PM (Virtual)
January 26 at 6:30PM (On Campus)
February 17 at 6:30PM (Virtual)
Grades 1-6 Information Session
January 19 at 6:30PM (Virtual)
February 1 at 6:30PM (On Campus)
February 24 at 6:30PM (Virtual)
Grades 7-11 Information Session
January 20 at 6:30PM (Virtual)
February 9 at 6:30PM (On Campus)
February 28 at 6:30PM (Virtual)
Grades K-6 Information Session
March 1 at 6:30PM (Virtual)
Grades K-11 Information Session
March 3 at 6:30PM (Virtual)
Face Masks
Amazon Smile
Looking for part-time work? A Cafeteria shift is available for a Lunch Server.
- Monday through Friday - school year only
- Lunch shift is 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
- Food service experience preferred
- Work experience with school-age children preferred
- Clearances and references required
- LVA does not cook onsite but there are food prep and cleaning duties
Please contact Karen Deichman at 610-866-9660 x3304
Bus Transportation
MASKS ARE REQUIRED BY FEDERAL LAW ON ALL BUSES!
Please remember to keep the number for your child’s home school district transportation department in your cell phone. In case of an emergency, they will have radio contact with the bus drivers. See the attached list of transportation departments contact information :
School Nutrition Program (Free Breakfast & Lunch)
We are pleased to announce that we will be participating in the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) in the 2021-2022 school year. All enrolled students are eligible to receive free breakfast and/or lunch when in attendance (no need to pre-order or sign-up in advance).
Menus are posted monthly on the LVA website under the "Nutrition Services" tab.
Although no further action is required for your child(ren) to receive breakfast and/or lunch at no charge, we are still encouraging families who think they may qualify for Free and Reduced benefits to fill out the Free and Reduced Application as there are many other benefits, like EBT cards with additional funds, that come along with the qualified eligibility.
You can apply on-line on www.compass.state.pa.us or access an application on the LVA website and return to school. Any questions or concerns, please contact:
Lynn Berndt @ (610)866-9660 ext. 4104 or l.berndt@lvacademy.org.
LVA has a mobile App!
LVA offers a mobile app, which is available in the Apple, Android Stores, and on Google Play. With our app, you will have quick access to things like:
Online Attendance Forms
Payment options
K-12 Events Calendar
Breakfast and Lunch menus
And more!
For Apple: Lehigh Valley Academy RCS
For Android: Lehigh Valley Academy RCS
From the LVA Nurses
How to reach the nursing department?
Ms. Andrea Grube, CSN ext. 2347
Mrs. Brigitte Bortz, CSN ext. 3146
Ms. Catherine Tappert, CSN ext. 4127
Nursing Fax: 610-814-6048
Nursing Fax ES 4-6: 484-821-0369 (during school hours only)
- Just a friendly reminder that we are following the CDC guidelines regarding Covid-19 related symptoms at this time. Please keep your child home if he/she displays any symptoms that could potentially be Covid-19 and please consult with your pediatrician/healthcare provider before sending your child to school.
If a member of your household is waiting for covid -19 test results or tests positive, unvaccinated students/staff cannot come to school.
- Health Forms and Action Plans may be found under Parent Resources / Health Services. Please call your building nurse if you have any questions regarding the health forms.
COVID - What to do
If you, your family, and/or your children have been exposed to Covid-19 and/or are experiencing Covid-related symptoms, please keep your child(ren) home until you have spoken to one of the campus nurses.
If a member of the household is awaiting Covid-19 test results, keep all non-vaccinated and symptomatic children home, as well as the individual who was tested regardless of symptoms, until the result has been confirmed. If the result is negative, please send a copy of the result displaying your child’s name and date of test to your child’s building school nurse for his/her health file.
If your child is considered a close contact to a fellow student, staff member or family member and is not vaccinated, he/she is required to quarantine for a minimum of 7-10 days from the last day of exposure (7 days with proof of a negative test on Day 5 or after). Vaccinated students and staff do not have to quarantine, unless they become symptomatic.
Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our community safe and healthy.
Helpful Covid-19 related links:
Health Services Webpage: http://www.lvacademy.org/for_parents/health_services/c_o_v_i_d-19_resources
Quarantine and Isolation: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html
What to do if you are sick: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html
Health Update/Standing Orders Form Due
This form was sent home with your child on the first week of school and again this fall. They do need to be completed at the beginning of every school year. Please return asap to the nurse’s office. Forms may be found on the LVA website under Parent Resources >Health Services > Health Forms > Health Update and Standing Order Form 2021-22. If you are not sure if it was completed or returned, contact your building nurse
http://www.lvacademy.org/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=28535148
Medication Policy
http://www.lvacademy.org/for_parents/health_services/action_plans
Please do not send any medication to school with your child. Medications need to be dropped off at the nurse’s office by an adult. Doctor’s orders are required for the administration for both prescription and over-the-counter medicines. New orders are needed every school year. If you have any questions, please call the nurse’s office at 610-866-9660.
ES K-3 Ms. Grube 2347
ES 4-6 Mrs. Bortz 3146
JrSr HS 7-12 Ms. Tappert 4127
Physical / Dental Exams Due
Dental exams are required for K , 3 , 7 grades. http://www.lvacademy.org/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=21350568
Physical exams are required for K, 6, 11 grades. http://www.lvacademy.org/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=21350570
We accept exams that were performed within one year of the beginning of the school year. Exams dated July 1st, 2020 and after are acceptable. Please submit the completed form by your provider to your school nurse as soon as possible.
Screenings
Every school year the nursing staff performs the state mandated screenings which includes: Height/Weight/BMI (all grades) , Vision (all grades), Hearing (K-3, 7th, 11th), and Scoliosis (6th and 7th grade). If your child wears glasses, they should be wearing them for the vision screening. Screenings will be conducted anytime as allowed by the nurses’ schedule.
Scoliosis Screening:
Pennsylvania State Health Law requires that students in 6th (letters were sent home for 6th grade physical and scoliosis screening on November 2nd) and 7th grade be screened for scoliosis, or curvature of the spine. When this condition is detected early and treated appropriately, progressive spinal deformity may be prevented or minimized. Scoliosis screening will be conducted at Lehigh Valley Academy for all sixth-grade (6th) and seventh grade (7th) students who do not have a current physical on file. The screening procedure is simple and can be performed in less than one minute. The school nurse will check your child’s back by observing it while your child is standing and bending forward.
Any objection to the scoliosis screenings requires notification in writing to your child’s building school nurse by December 3rd (THIS FRIDAY). A private exam by your provider will need to be submitted if you opt-out of screenings.
Change of clothes (for students in K-6)
Please keep a change of clothes in your child’s book bag in case of a mishap (bathroom accident, nosebleeds, spillage of food/liquid, fall in puddle, etc). We have limited sizes of clothing in our swap closets. Nurses do not have clothing in their offices.
Cold Weather
Please make sure your child has appropriate winter clothing for recess (coats, gloves, hats as they will go outside if the temperature is 32 degrees F or above). If your child is also asthmatic and needs an inhaler in the cold weather, please make sure you have the appropriate paperwork and inhaler in the nurse’s office. Please contact your building nurse if you have any questions regarding asthma paperwork.
Covid Vaccines 5 years old and above
Since the covid vaccine is available to children 5 y. old and above, here’s a change in the quarantine procedure:
Your child will not need to quarantine once fully vaccinated (2 weeks after the 2nd dose is received) if s/he is a close contact and remains asymptomatic.
You can check your home district website for dates of clinics as well as St. Luke’s and LVHN networks, and some local pharmacies.
PLEASE KEEP SICK CHILDREN HOME
IN ORDER TO TRY TO KEEP EVERYONE HEALTHY THIS SCHOOL YEAR, WE ALL NEED TO DO OUR PART.
The students and the staff have been fantastic about social distancing when possible and wearing their masks indoors. (Please note that vented masks are not permitted.)
It is also very important that you keep your child home if he/she is exhibiting symptoms (see list below) or if anyone in the household is covid positive or is currently waiting for the result of a covid test.
If your child is sick, please follow the guidelines for when to keep him/her home:
If you checked 1 or more symptoms, your child should stay home from school
Column A
☐Fever (100°F or higher)
☐Cough
☐Shortness of breath
☐Difficulty breathing
☐Nausea or vomiting
☐Diarrhea
☐Lack of smell or taste (without congestion)
If you checked 2 or more symptoms, your child should stay home from school
Column B
☐Sore throat
☐Chills
☐Muscle pain
☐Headache
☐Congestion or runny nose
LVA Alumni Update
Are you or someone you know a graduate of LVA? Update your alumni contact information today to stay in the know about upcoming alumni events and reunions!
We ask all Alumni to complete this Contact form.
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About Us
Lehigh Valley Academy Regional Charter School, located in Bethlehem, PA is an accredited, independent, K-12 public charter school authorized by the Bethlehem Area and Saucon Valley School Districts. LVA serves over 1,825 students from 18 different school districts in the Lehigh Valley Region.
LVA is a fully authorized International Baccalaureate World School offering the Primary Years, Middle Years, Career-Related, and Diploma Programmes. LVA prides itself on being 1 of 3 schools in the United States to offer all 4 IB programmes.
Beginning with full-day kindergarten and continuing through a student's senior year, LVA emphasizes inquiry-based learning and critical thinking to prepare a student for higher education.
LVA is committed to developing the whole student with a strong emphasis on citizenship, both locally and globally, as well as attention to strong 21st century learning practices. Lehigh Valley Academy holds fast to our mission of developing young people into active, knowledgeable and caring members of a world-wide, diverse society.
Email: info@lvacademy.org
Website: www.lvacademy.org
Location: 1560 Valley Center Parkway, Bethlehem, PA, USA
Phone: 610-866-9660
Facebook: facebook.com/LVARCS/
Twitter: @LVACADEMY